Internet users

    The number of Internet users in China rose last year by nearly 56 million to more than half a billion, nearly half of whom used microblogs, according to latest official figures.

    China’s online population — the world’s largest — hit 513 million in 2011, a 12.2 percent increase on the previous year, the China Internet Network Information Center (CNNIC) said on Monday.     

    Taiwan election

    The Central Government said it would cooperate with Taiwan after Ma Ying-jeou claimed victory in the polls for the island’s leader.

    The 61-year-old Ma, of the Kuomintang (KMT) party, won a second term as Taiwan’s leader, defeating rivals Democratic Progressive Party Chairwoman Tsai Ing-wen and People First Party Chairman James Soong in a three-way race. Ma beat Tsai by about 800,000 votes in the poll. Ma pledged to work for cross-Straits ties in next tenure.     

    Flower fair

    The annual Shenzhen Spring Festival flower fair is scheduled to open today on Aiguo Road in Luohu District.

    The five-day flower fair will be composed of eight sections, respectively selling potted flowers, fresh flowers, handicraft works and Spring Festival scrolls*, according to the fair organizer, the urban management administration in Luohu District.     

    Pollution data

    Beijing authorities began on Saturday releasing hourly readings of three major air pollutants* to appease* residents angry about the city’s deteriorating* air quality.

    The move coincided with a pledge by Mayor Guo Jinlong to tackle smog-causing pollutants, notably PM2.5 — hazardous* fine respirable* particles with a diameter of less than 2.5 microns* — and ozone*.

    (SD-Agencies)